Cuts and Bruises
by Leon Sage
Summary: After a hunt, Sam and Dean take care of each other.  Fluff.


Sam and Dean entered the motel room and dumped their duffels in the corner of the room. They were completely and utterly exhausted. Three days straight of hunting and finally… finally they had caught and killed the vampire clan that had been wreaking havoc through four states.

They had agreed to stay in that night, buying some food and beer on the way to their motel. It was one of the cleaner, more intact motel's that they had chosen and didn't bother taking two beds.

"Dean, you first" Sam said, pointing at the bathroom door. Dean set down the beer on the table and looked at Sam. "You sure, Sammy?" he asked. They'd been through one hell of a fight, but Sam had gotten the brunt of the cuts and bruises. Dean knew that Sam would be sore in the morning. Dean himself had a nasty cut on his arm and a few bruises here and there, but all in all, he was fine.

"Yes, Dean, I'm sure" Sam said, while taking out the food that they had bought. "And anyway," he continued "I want to go to the pharmacy next to the office and buy some things. We're running low on anti-inflammatory cream."

Dean looked at Sam for a moment and shrugged. "Okay, if you're sure," he said, taking off his jacket slowly, trying to avoid the cut on his arm. Hissing slightly as the fabric brushed the fresh wound and starling a little when he felt Sam's hand come and hold the fabric up and away from the cut as he slid it completely off, Dean gave Sam a brief smile and thanked him. Sam frowned a little and took a look at Dean's arm. "I'll patch that up, Dea, as soon as you get clean."

"Sure thing Sammy, and I'll take care of those cuts too" Dean said, putting his hand gently on Sam's face and neck. He had a few cuts on his neck and one long, thin slash from a piece of glass on his forehead, but what Dean really worried about was Sam's spine. He had been thrown against a metal beam and Dean worried that Sam might be more hurt than he was letting on, but Dean would take care of him. He had promised Sam that, and he was gonna keep that promise.

When Dean had gone into the bathroom, Sam busied himself and went out of the motel, locking the door behind him. As he walked to the pharmacy, he rubbed his back a little and winced. He knew that there would probably be a huge bruise there in the morning, but luckily, nothing was fractured or broken. Going into the pharmacy, he went to the counter and asked the woman for what he needed. The woman looked concerned for a moment, but served him without comment. He thanked her and paid her. "Are you… do you need some help?" she asked finally. Sam looked at her and smiled. "Thank you, but I'm fine. My brother can patch me up" he said. Still a little uncertain she took a pen and wrote something on a piece of paper. Handing it to him, she said, "Just in case." He looked down and saw that she had written the number for the hospital nearby. Sam smiled again and thanked her. He pocketed the number and left the store, hoping that Dean would be done with the bathroom.

As he walked in, he saw Dean sitting on the bed, wiping his head with a towel and humming something to himself. The television was on, but it was just to drown out the silence. "Hey," Dean said, glancing up and smiling "got what we need?" he asked. He was clad in a black pair of cotton shorts and a very worn out Led Zepplin t shirt. Sam smiled and nodded.

Setting down the paper bag, he pulled off his own jacket and undid the buttons of his shirt. It was stained with his blood and he frowned at it. It was one of his favorites and he hoped that the stained would come off. Almost reading his mind, Dean turned back to the TV and said "We'll get that stain off Sammy, don't worry. Now get into that shower, you're starting to smell like dead vamp." Sam gave him his annoyed look and as he walked into the bathroom, he said "Jerk." "Bitch" Dean responded automatically.

Twenty minutes later, Sam came out from the bathroom freshly bathed and clothed. He favored a dark blue t shirt and cotton sweatpants. Smelling the food that Dean had opened up, he felt his stomach rumble and went over to the foot of the bed where his brother was sitting on the floor and eating his noodles. Grabbing his own pack of noodles and a pair of chopsticks, Sam sat next to his brother and started eating.

They ate in silence for a while, watching the black and white that was showing. Some sappy love story, but it was mildly interesting. After they finished, they threw their packs into the plastic bag and leaned against the bed.

"Mmm, good food" Dean said and closed his eyes, patting his stomach contently. Sam just nodded and put his head back against the bed. Dean noticed and patted Sam's thigh. "Time for bed, Sammy. We've earned ourselves, of I don't know, a year off?" he said, earning a chuckle from Sam.

But Sam sat up and moved over to the table, snagging the paper bag and moving towards Dean. "First, we gotta get you patched up, Dea" he said and started removing the contents of the bag. He moved to sit in front of Dean and took his arm into his hand. Examining it, Sam took the antiseptic cream and put some on his finger. He slowly and very gently applied it to the cut. When the cream first touched the cut, Dean jerked a little, cut searing with pain. Sam apologized but kept on rubbing it in. When he was done, he took a patch and put it on Dean's arm, taping it down.

"There" he said, looking up at Dean. "Now, don't take it off till tomorrow okay? Let it settle" Sam told him. Dean looked down at his arm and then smirked at Sam. "Why thank you doctor" he said, "now c'mere, you need to get those cuts looked at."

He took Sam's face into his hand and turned it up to the light. Seeing that there were no shards of glass in his flesh, Dean took some of the cream and put it on Sam, earning a small hiss from him. "It's okay Sam," Dean said, "there's nothing in it." he put a plaster on the worst cut, but let the other's be free to touch the air. Nothing better than some fresh air for a fresh cut.

"Now, get up into bed Sam, I want to check your back" Dean said. "Nah, I'm fine, Dean" Sam said, trying to wave Dean away, but Dean was adamant about it. "Just as well" he said and took Sam up by the arm. Sam sighed but went along with Dean. He knew that if he didn't give in, Dean would just bug him until he did.

Laying down on his stomach, head on the pillow, Sam grunted a little as he felt Dean's weight press onto his thighs. "Well, this seems familiar, huh Sammy?" Dean said jokingly. Sam put his head up from the pillow and turned to look at Dean as best he could. "Shut up Dean" he said, but without anger. Dean laughed and slapped Sam's butt once, earning him a jerk from Sam and a murderous look from him.

"Okay, okay, sheesh," Dean said and cracked his knuckles, "guy can't even have a little fun." He slowly pressed his thumbs down along Sam's back, gentle at first, then slowly increasing the pressure as he went. When he reached Sam's lower back, Sam gasped out in pain and clutched the pillow.

"Sam! Sammy, hey, you okay?" Dean said, lifting his hands and leaning in a little. Sam didn't say anything, but he nodded, but Dean didn't continue until Sam asked him to. "Okay, Dean" Sam said and Dean put his hands down again, going slower this time. He saw Sam grip the pillow tighter and whimper a little as he massaged the area that was hurt. Slowly, Sam eased his grip and his eyes began to become less pinched. Finally, when he was sure that nothing was broken and that Sam wouldn't be in so much pain for the next few days, Dean slowly lifted Sam's t shirt and looked at his back.

There was a bruise already forming on his lower back, spreading the width of Sam's back, already turning a faint blue-purple. Dean leaned down and kissed the bruise, spreading his fingers over the area softly. "You're okay, Sammy" he said and got off him.

Sam turned over and sighed. "Goddamn vampires" he said, closing his eyes, clearly exhausted by the ordeal. Dean shook his head a little, internally cursing every supernatural thing out there for hurting his brother. He got out of bed and turned off the room light, and climbed into bed.

Sam immediately turned into Dean and put an arm around his waist, resting his shoulder on Dean's shoulder. "Thank you" he whispered. Dean put one arm under Sam's head and hugged him closer. "You're welcome" he said. Sighing sleepily, Sam hugged Dean a little tighter and said "God, I'm bushed." Dean closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. "Yeah, I know what you mean, Sammy" he said. He started humming softly and Sam smiled with his eyes closed. He was comforted by the serenity that he felt right now, just being in Dean's arms was enough to make him feel safe.

Sam's hand traveled up slowly to Dean's chest and he lay it there. Dean brought down his arm from behind his own head and grasped Sam's hand. Sam mumbled something incoherent and Dean stroked his back softly. "Shh Sammy, I'm here. Sleep."

Sam moved his head up a little and kissed Dean's neck. "G'night Dea" he said, half unconscious. Dean smiled and kissed Sam's hair. "Good night Sammy."


End file.
